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A precious metal predominantly produced in South Africa. This metal is used primarily in auto catalysts together with other platinum group metals (PGMs) such as palladium and rhodium. There is some jewellery use as well, especially in the east (China buys about half of the world's platinum used in jewellery) where the colour of platinum's cooler hues are more popular with Asian people.. Platinum is rarer than gold with about 170 tons mined per annum worldwide as opposed to about 3000 tons of gold, however, platinum is not as widely held by central banks and individuals as an asset of last resort. Most of the world's platinum (about 80%) is found in South Africa's Bushveld Complex. In Northam's (NPH) financial statements for the six months to 31st December 2025 they say the following: "The name Platinum comes from the Spanish word platina, which means little silver, after its silvery-white appearance. This name was given to the metal by the Spanish conquistadors who first discovered the metal in South America in the 16th century while mining for gold. On first discovery, platinum was initially dismissed as an unwanted impurity in the gold that was being mined. However, its unique chemical and physical properties, and resultant potential applications soon came to the fore in its recognition as a precious and industrial metal. Platinum is one of the rarest metals on earth and the majority of the world’s platinum comes from the Bushveld complex in South Africa (the largest deposit of platinum in the world). It is incredibly dense and is one of the heaviest metals while being ductile and malleable. Its ability to be drawn into wires or hammered into sheets make it versatile for a number of applications. Platinum has a high melting point making it suitable for use in high-temperature applications. It is also highly unreactive and resistant to corrosion and tarnishing with excellent electrical conductivity contributing to its use in medical applications. Platinum is used for the following: • Autocatalyst — a significant portion of platinum (in sponge form) is used in autocatalysts or catalytic converters on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Platinum, rhodium and/or palladium are coated onto a substrate housed in the exhaust system and act as catalysts to reduce levels of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) to legislated levels. The porous nature of platinum sponge and resultant high surface area compared to solid platinum allows more efficient catalytic reactions • Medical devices — pacemakers, defibrillators, cardiovascular applications, surgical instruments and use in certain cancer treatment drugs • Electronics — electrical contacts and other electronic components • Jewellery — its durability and high lustre make it a popular choice for jewellery • Hydrogen economy— platinum is a key enabler of hydrogen technologies, playing a critical role in both the production and utilisation of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier."

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